All Aboard the Freeland Express
12/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Dec. 26, 2010
CHICAGO - Tony Freeland has no doubt about which is the best college basketball conference in the country.
Even though his buddies, Texas star Jordan Hamilton and Arizona's Derrick Williams (Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2009-10) would beg to differ, Freeland knows that the BIG EAST is best.
"We all played together on the same AAU team last summer, and I have fun arguing with those guys," said Freeland, the 6-foot, 6-inch sophomore who is preparing for DePaul's BIG EAST Conference opener Tuesday at Cincinnati (12-0), which is led by ex-Crane star Dion Dixon.
"I tell Derrick that I play in the tough BIG EAST and that he's getting soft playing in the sweet Pac-10. They know it's the best conference in the country. The BIG EAST gets a lot of respect from everyone."
That was never more evident than this week's national polls. Five BIG EAST teams (Connecticut, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Georgetown) are ranked in the top 10 by the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.
Those five teams began the week with a combined record of 49-3.
"The BIG EAST is a lot tougher than teams we played in our nonconference games," Freeland said. "I'll be facing guys who are 6-10 or 7-0, and I'm 6-6, 230 pounds.
"I started to adjust to playing in the BIG EAST after a while last season, and I got the hang of it. I began to understand the physical play and the speed of the game.
"That's why I came here. I want to play against the best competition to see where I belong."
It's a totally different Tony Freeland who will take the court for the 6 p.m. game in Cincinnati. He is averaging nearly 12 points a game, is second on the team in rebounding and has become an impact player for new Blue Demons coach Oliver Purnell.
Freeland averaged 3.4 points last season, missing the first four games while awaiting NCAA clearance to play.
After breaking into the starting lineup this season against Stanford on Nov. 28, Freeland struggled in back-to-back losses against Indiana State and Ball State and was replaced by 6-8 freshman Cleveland Melvin.
Since the change, Freeland had 14 points and four rebounds in a victory over Milwaukee and scored a team-high 16 points in a win over Loyola-Chicago. He scored 12 points in last Wednesday's 71-62 win over Florida Atlantic.
The Los Angeles native has now racked up double figures in seven of his last eight games and DePaul has evened its record at 6-6.
"After I had bad games against Indiana State and Ball State, coach sat me down in his office," Freeland said. "He told me I had to start rebounding better, be more aggressive with my defense and play with a hard edge.
"When he told me I'd be coming off the bench, I told him I would do whatever we need to win and that I didn't care about not starting.
"Being a starter just means you get your name announced and play the first three minutes. Now, I get to see the other team's defense, and I can pick out my sweet spots."
One of his sweetest spots this season has been that stripe located 15 feet from the basket. After making just 43.8 percent of his free throws last season, Freeland is now converting 66.2 percent.
"Last year, I was terrible," Freeland said. "At the end of games, I was the first one they'd be looking for. I didn't even have the ball and they'd try to foul me.
"My form was way off. I'd be leaning back and staring at the ball when I should have been looking at the rim."
Associate head coach Ron Bradley worked with Freeland and overhauled his shooting form. "He taught me a new technique," Freeland said. "Calm yourself, step off the line, slow your heart down. Then, dribble, catch it and shoot. Think in your mind that it's going in.
"I'm so grateful for coach Bradley's help, I may have to surprise him with a little gift."
Freeland has that little-kid-on-Christmas-morning excitement in his voice as he talks about thriving in Purnell's up-tempo, full-court pressure system.
"I really like our style," Freeland said. "You're not afraid to make mistakes. If I made a mistake last year, I'd sit out a whole game. It made me play so tentative.
"This pressure defense and faster tempo is way better for me. We don't have a lot of height, so I have to face a lot of fours (power forwards) and fives (centers).
"It's not easy, but the way we run, I have an advantage because we're constantly moving."
Freeland's versatility makes him the ideal guy to plug in when things go wrong.
"We can bring in Tony at any of the front-court positions," Purnell said. "I've told him how valuable he is being able to play multiple positions and providing the team with energy and toughness.
"Our two most physical players are Tony Freeland and Krys Faber, and they also give us an inside presence."
Speaking of presence, Freeland brought down the house with his electrifying dunk over Florida Atlantic's Brett Royster at Allstate Arena.
"Nasty," was the description by Melvin.
"I've been blessed with a quick and powerful first step that has helped me tremendously on the court," Freeland said.
That athleticism will certainly come in handy during the BIG EAST season.
